Retarder for towel cabinets



March 7, 1950 Filed May 24 1946 L. L. PRICE RETARDER FOR TOWEL CABINETS 3 Sheets-Sheet l -l-a ll WI IHHI... 2/)

March 7, 1950 L. PRICE RETARDER FOR TOWEL CABINETS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24, 1946 March 7 1950 1.. L. PRICE RETARDER FOR TOWEL CABINETS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed ma 2% 1946 Patented Mar. 7, 1950 usirso STATES PATENT OFFICE I 13 Claims.

lhis invention relates to a towel dispensing cabinet.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved means for arrestingtoweling as it is withdrawn from the cabinet after a predetermined length' has been withdrawn to prevent wastage. Heretofore', many difierent devices of this general'characterhave been provided wherein the toweling. has been arrested. after a wipe of toweling has b'eenwithdrawn which have the arresting means operable by atime-d'elay mechanism requiring a predetermined length of time to elapse beiorea succeeding wipe may be withdrawn. Such'time-delay mechanisms are usually air controlled such as by vacuum cups, dashpots and'the like. They are subject to the objection that theyareapt to deteriorate and if they be-' come clogged due to dust or dirtthey will not function properly;

An object of the present invention is toprovide animproved towel cabinet wherein withdrawal ofthe toweling' is" arrested after one wipe has been Withdrawn but instead of requiring a predetermined elapseof time to occur before a succeeding wipe can bewithdrawn the'improved cabinet merely requires a predetermined number of jerks to be applied to the withdrawn wipe to effect a release of the arresting means. The necessity of applying'the'se jerks to the withdrawn wipe to effect a release of the arresting means is sufiicient deterrent to prevent wastage of the toweling andas the device embodying the present invention is purely mechanical as distinguished from pneumatic I time-delay mechanisms deterioration of parts and danger of plugging or clogging is completely'eliminated.

It is therefore another object of the present invention to'provide a pur'ely mechanical arresting means for arresting the toweling withdrawn from a'towel cabinet which is so designed as to effect a" release of thetoweling after a predetermined number of jerks and tensions or releases has been applied tothe withdrawn length of toweling.

Another'o'bject of the invention is! to provide a towel cabinet having a measuring roll'rotatable as the toweling is withdrawn and which is arrested'after a'wipe hasbeenwithdrawn by a relatively simpleniechanism that restricts rotation of the measuringrc-ll-to a step-by-step rotation until a predetermined number of jerks has been applied to the toweling after which the measuring roll'may freely and continuously rotate until a succeeding wipeihas been withdrawn.

Another-object of the invention-is-to provide s. 55

it further object ofthe 'invention is to provide a-towel' cabinet wherein" there'is a measuring roll rotatable as the toweling is withdrawn and which hasa' rewind roll driventhereby over whichwtheused toweling passes and against which a windup rollis-rotatable adapted to have;. -.thet' toweling wound'up thereon'by-meansof the re wind roll so that the toweling will be tightly" wound'on the winduproll preparatory toitsbeing remo'vedfrom the cabinet'to launder the towel-' ing' wound thereon;

With the foregoing and otherobjectsin view, which willbe'made manifest in-the following detailed description and" specifically pointed out in' the appended claims; reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l isa longitudinal vertical section through the towel cabinet embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2is a front view in elevationof the same,- the cover of the cabinet being shown as having been removed;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 33 upon Fig. 2;

Fig; 4 is a partialview in side elevation illustrating'the details'of construction of the arrest ing means in that position wherein rotation of the measuring roll has been completely arrested andv the mechanism-prepared for the first of it's step-by-step movements, the dotted lines indicating the positions of the parts wherein the measuring roll has beenarrested and prior to preparing the n'i'echanismf'or its first step;

Fig; 5 is a view'simila'r t'o Fig; 4; but illustrating in full lines the positions of" the parts after the first step of" the step-by-step'moVement has been completed and after the parts have assumed the position illustrated in dotted lines;

Fig. 6 is an end'viewin'elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4', and" may be regarded as having been taken in the direction o'f'the arrow 6 upon Fig. 4; 7

Fig.7 is a sectionalview through some of the 3 parts illustrated in Fig. 4, and taken substantially upon the line I-'! upon Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 5, and illustrating the parts in those positions that are assumed at the completion of the last of the step-by-step movements;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, and illustrating the positions assumed by the parts in the course of restoring the parts to their initial positions; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but illustrating the manner in which the device may be adjusted to vary the number of steps of the stepby-step movement in order to cause the arresting means to release or in other words, to vary the number of jerks that must be applied to the toweling to release the arresting means for the withdrawal of the further wipe.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout the improved towel cabinet comprises a suitable frame having a bottom I adapted to support a supply roll II of toweling. At the sides of this frame there are uprights or ends I2 and I3. The frame is usually covered by a cover I4 that may be hinged as at I5 to a back wall I6 by which the cabinet may be mounted on a wall. I! indicates a measuring roll that is rotatably mounted between the ends I2 and I 3. This measuring roll is preferably covered with emery cloth or the equivalent so as to present a relatively high friction surface against which the end of the toweling as it is withdrawn from the supply roll II is trained. Above the measuring roll H the ends I2 and I3 have angular slots I8 formed therein to receive the trunnions on the ends of a grip roll I9. This grip roll is rotatable and has the toweling trained thereover in passing from the measuring roll I! to the exit 20. By this arrangement it will be observed that when the hanging portion or loop of the toweling indicated at 2| is pulled or jerked that the tension imposed thereon tends to draw the grip roll I9 downwardly against the measuring roll with greater effort than the mere force of gravity that is normally effective on the grip roll. Consequently, the grip roll serves to press the toweling tightly against the measuring roll I! to cause the measuring roll to rotate as the toweling is dispensed and to form an accurate measure of the extent to which the toweling is withdrawn.

At the back of the bottom I0 and forwardly of the back wall I 6 there is a partition 22 spaced forwardly of the back wall to provide an entrance 23 for soiled toweling. Above this partition which keeps the soiled toweling from contacting the fresh toweling on the supply roll II there is a rewind roll 24 that is rotatably mounted between the ends I2 and I3 and which has a chain and sprocket connection 25 with the measuring roll I! so as to be driven thereby. Near the top of the ends I2 and I3 there are angular slots 26 which receive trunnions on the ends of a windup roll 21 which normally descends by gravity against the rewind roll 24 and is adapted to have the soiled toweling wound up thereon. It will be noted from this construction that as the loop 2I is pulled downwardly the toweling rotates the measuring roll I I driving the rewind roll 24 which in turn rotates the roll of toweling as it winds up on the windup roll 21. The windup roll may ascend the slot 26 as the quantity of toweling wound thereon increases its diameter.

A feature of the present towel dispenser concerns the arresting and release mechanism controlling the measuring roll I! which consequently controls the movement of the toweling. The details of this mechanism are illustrated in Figs. 4 to 10, inclusive. On the end of the measuring roll I'I adjacent the end I2 there is a trunnion 28 that rotatably extends through the end I2 and which has at its extreme end a squared or polygonal portion 29 over which fits a cam member 30 which is retained thereon such as by a bolt or screw 30a. The cam member is thus keyed or locked on the measuring roll I! so as to be positively rotated therewith. A toothed member 3I is disposed against the cam member but fits about the cylindrical portion of the trunnion so as to be rotatable relatively thereto. This toothed member is pressed against the cam member by means of a compression spring 32 disposed between the toothed member and a washer 33 that is positioned against the end I2. The frictional engagement between the toothed member 3I and the cam member 36 causes the toothed member to rotate sympathetically with the cam member although it may be held or restrained against rotation therewith. On the toothed member there is a standard 34 that extends outwardly through an arcuate slot 35 in the cam member 30 that limits rotation of the toothed member. The toothed member has a number of teeth thereon indicated at 39, 31, 38, and 39 engageable by the outwardly bent end 40 of a dog 4| that is pivoted as at 42 to the side or end I2. This dog will fall by gravity towards the toothed member but is preferably urged downwardly by means of a small tension spring 43 anchored to the end I2.

On the dog 4I there is pivotally mounted as at 44 an anti-backup pawl 45 which is engageable with the teeth on the toothed member 3| to prevent its reverse rotation. The cam member presents a sloping cam surface at 46 that is engageable with the extension 40 on the dog to lift the dog out of engagement with the teeth and position it on a circumferential surface 41 which is disposed radially from the screws 30a a distance slightly greater than the radial distance of the tops of the teeth 36, 31, 38, and 39 and against a stop 48. The cam surface 46, the circumferential surface 41, and the stop 48 are preferably provided on a sectional part 49 of the cam member which is adjustable about the screw 300, by means of an adjusting screw 50 that extends through an arcuate slot 5| in the section 49 and into the cam member 30. The cam member also provides a cam surface 52 that is engageable with the extension 40 to lift the dog over the tooth 39 and permit it to slide on the peripheral surface 53 of the cam member. A tension spring 54 is secured at one end to the cam member and is anchored to the end wall I2. It is so located that when the cam member and consequently the measuring roll I I are in any of its arrested positions the spring will urge the cam member and measuring roll to be reversely rotated. However, whenever the measuring roll and cam member have been rotated in a counterclockwise direction a little beyond the position shown in Fig. 9, this tension spring is effective to assist in rotating the measuring roll and cam member in a forward or towel advancing direction through approximately one-half of a revolution.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: Initially the first tooth 36 on the toothed member is spaced from the cam surface 46 a distance of approximately one tooth so that the extension 40 on the dog can drop into the space tirely mechanical there is no danger of deterioration of its parts and problems of plugging or clogging are not presented.

In some instances, it may be desired to vary or decrease the number of jerks required to withdraw a succeeding wipe of toweling and to this end the cam surfaces 46, 41, and 48 are preferably formed on the segment 49 which is rotatably adjusted with relation to the cam member 30. Thus by circumferentially adjusting the segment 49 into a position as shown in Fig. 10, the entire device may be rendered inoperative to enable continuous withdrawal of toweling and if the segment is adjusted to any intermediate position the tooth 36 may be completely concealed thereby or the tooth 36 and 31 may be concealed thereby. If the teeth 36 and 31 may be concealed and only the tooth 38 is exposed to be operative the operation would be such as to arrest rotation of the measuring roll I! at the completion of a wipe and upon release of tension on the toweling the parts would assume the position shown in Fig. 10, wherein a subsequently applied pull to the toweling would enable the immediate withdrawal of a succeeding wipe without having to progressively clear the dog from the teeth 36 and 31. In this manner the mechanism can be adjusted to require any number of jerks to be applied to the toweling between succeeding wipes.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that the operating parts of the control mechanism are of relatively simple construction and may be easily assembled and in corporated in a towel cabinet. If desired dog 4! and the springs 43 and 54 may all be mounted on a plate attached to the side l2 rather than attached to the side 12 themselves so as to make the entire mechanism readily applicable to towel cab nets now in use.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is withdrawn, means for arrest ng rotation of the rotary means and thereafter allowing it to advance with only step-by-step motion, under the influence of succeeding applications of tension to the withdrawn toweling and its release for a predetermined number of steps and thereafter allowing the rotary means to rotate continuously until subsequently arrested after a succeeding length of toweling has been withdrawn, and means for varying the number of steps of step-by-step motion that are required before the rotary means is released for continuous rotation.

2. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, means including a first stop urged into stop engaging position and a second stop and a third stop, said second named means arresting the rotary means after engagement of the first stop with the second stop to prevent continued withdrawal of toweling, means operable on release of tension upon the withdrawn toweling for reversely rotating the rotary means to move the first stop out of arresting position and render the second stop incapable of being engaged, said first stop being engageable with the third stop upon application of tension to the withdrawn toweling to arrest the rotary means and prohibiting a full length of toweling from being withdrawn, said reversing means being operable on release of tension on the withdrawn toweling to reverse the rotation of the rotary means to move the first stop out of arresting position, whereby upon application of tension to the toweling a full length of toweling can be withdrawn from the towel dispenser.

3. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, delaying means for arresting advancing rotation of the rotary means after a full length of toweling has been withdrawn from the towel dispenser including a plurality of stops engageable in turn with a main stop, and means for releasing the main stop from each of the plurality of stops in turn synchronously with repeated jerks on the withdrawn toweling to enable a succeeding full length of toweling to be withdrawn after the main stop has been released from the last of the plurality of stops.

4. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, delaying means for arresting advancing rotation of the rotary means after a full length of toweling has been withdrawn from the towel dispenser including a plurality of stops engageable in turn with a main stop, and means for releasing the main stop from each of the plurality of stops in turn synchronously with repeated jerks on the withdrawn toweling to enable a succeeding full length of toweling to be withdrawn after the main stop has been released from the last of the plurality of stops, said releasing means reversing the rotary means between jerks to bring the rotary means back to approximately the same position.

5. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, delaying means for arresting advancing rotation of the rotary means after a full length of toweling has been withdrawn from the towel dispenser, said delaying means having a plurality of arresting positions, and means for reversely rotating the rotary means upon release of tension on the withdrawn toweling to release the arresting means at each of its plurality of arresting positions, whereby when the rotary means has been released from its last arresting position, a full length of toweling may be withdrawn from the dispenser.

6. In a towel dispenser, the combination or rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, means for arresting advancing rotation of the rotary means after a full length of toweling has been withdrawn from the towel dispenser, said arresting means having a plurality of arresting positions to consecutively arrest the rotary means upon consecutive oscillations of the rotary means, means urging the rotary means to reversely rotate when arrested in any of the arresting positions to release the rotary means from the arresting means, the oscillations of the rotary means being furnished by repeated jerks on the withdrawn toweling, each jerk being followed by a reverse rotation of the rotary means, whereby when the rotary means has been released from the last arresting position, a sucseeding full length of toweling may be withdrawn.

7. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, a series of stops, means for engaging the stops in turn, said engaging means capable of stopping the rotary means when engaged with any of the stops, means for disengaging the engaging means from a single of the stops on each release of tension on the toweling, engagement of the engaging means with the first stop causing the arresting of the rotary means after a full length of toweling has been withdrawn, said rotary means being adapted when the last stop has been disengaged from the engaging means to be rotated whereby a succeeding full length of toweling may be withdrawn from the dispenser.

8. In a towel dispenser, the combination of means for arresting the withdrawal of toweling after a length thereof has been withdrawn, means for rendering the arresting means inoperative upon release of tension on the withdrawn toweling while drawing a fraction of a length of toweling back into the dispenser, said arresting means being capable of arresting the withdrawal of toweling several times if accompanied by applications of tension on the toweling and preceded by the release of tension on the toweling and said second named means being capable of releasing the arresting means after each arrest if accompanied by a release of tension on the towelme, said arresting means during the several arresting movements allowing only a fraction of a length of toweling to be withdrawn, said arresting means permitting a full length of toweling to be withdrawn after the several arrests have been made.

9. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, means for arresting rotation of the rotary means to prevent continued withdrawal of the toweling, means for releasing the arresting means upon release of tension on the toweling and reversely rotating the rotary means, said arresting means again arresting the rotary means upon the application of tension to the withdrawn toweling allowing only a fraction of a length of toweling to be withdrawn, the third named means again releasing the arresting means upon release of tension on the toweling and reversely rotating the rotary means, said arresting means capable of arresting the rotary means a plurality of times while limiting the total toweling withdrawn to a fraction of a length of the toweling, said third named means capable of releasing the arresting means after each arrest upon release of tension upon the toweling, whereby when the last arrest is released, a succeeding length of toweling can be withdrawn.

10. In a towel dispenser, the combination of rotary means rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, delaying means for arresting advancing rotation of the rotary means after a full length of toweling has been withdrawn from the towel dispenser, said delaying means having a plurality of arresting positions for the rotary means so that the rotary means must be released from the plurality of arresting positions before a succeeding full length of toweling can be withdrawn, and means for reversely rotating the rotary means upon release of tension on the withdrawn toweling, said last named means operating to release the rotary means from a single arresting position at each application of tension and release of tension on the withdrawn toweling, whereby when suiiicient applications of tension and releases of tension have occurred so as to release the rotary means from its last arrested position, a succeeding full length of toweling may be withdrawn from the dispenser.

11. In a towel dispenser, the combination of a measuring roll rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, a cam member rotatable therewith, a toothed member so associated with the cam member as to be urged to be moved therewith even though said toothed member and the cam member are relatively rotatable within limits, a dog engageable with the teeth of the toothed member to restrain its rotation and consequently the rotation of the cam member and roll after the limited relative movement of the cam member relative to the toothed member has been exhausted means for preventing reverse rotation of the toothed member, means normally urging the cam member and roll to reversely rotate when the toothed member has its forward movement arrested, said cam member presenting a cam surface arranged to cause the dog to advance a tooth on the toothed member when the cam member is reversely rotated relative to the toothed member.

12. In a towel dispenser, the combination of a measuring roll rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, a cam member rotatable therewith, a toothed member so associated with the cam member as to be urged to be moved therewith even though said toothed member and the cam member are relatively rotatable within limits, a dog engageable with the teeth of the toothed member to restrain its rotation and consequently the rotation of the cam member and roll after the limited relative movement of the cam member relative to the toothed member has been exhausted, means for preventin reverse rotation of the toothed member, means normally urging the cam member and roll to reversely rotate when the toothed member has its forward movement arrested, said cam member presenting a cam surface arranged to cause the dog to advance a tooth on the toothed member when the cam member is reversely rotated relative to the toothed member, and means for restorin the toothed member to its initial position relative to the cam member.

13. In a towel dispenser, the combination of a measuring roll rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, a cam member rotatable therewith, a toothed member so associated with the cam member as to be urged to be moved therewith even though said toothed member and the cam member are relatively rotatable within limits, a dog engageable with the teeth of the toothed member to restrain its rotation and consequently the rotation of the cam member and roll after the limited relative movement of the cam member relative to the toothed member has been 8X- hausted, means for preventing reverse rotation of the toothed member, means normally urging the cam member and roll to reversely rotate when the toothed member has its forward movement arrested, said cam member presenting a cam surface arranged to cause the dog to advance a tooth on the toothed member when the cam member is reversely rotated relative to the toothed member, a portion of the cam member being rotatably adjustable to vary the position of initial engagement between the dog and the toothed member.

LAURENCE L. PRICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,959,938 Tyler May 22, 1934 2,087,513 Harvey July 20, 1937 

